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For anyone who has spent a long time renting, staring at the same standard-issue beige walls and yearning for adding some actual personality to their home, Pantone's latest Colour of the Year might feel like a disappointing choice.

This time around, the renowned color company has designated a shade of white as its annual hue.

In detail, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white described as "elevated" and "billowy" which "acts as a emblem of calming influence in a society re-evaluating the value of stillness".

It signifies the initial instance white has been chosen as the Colour of the Year, and it has raised more than a few eyebrows.

Per Pantone, Cloud Dancer "represents more than a hue, it's a mindset" and signifies a widespread yearning to slow down, recalibrate and seek peace after years of visual overload.

But some critics have branded the decision as "Pantonedeaf", contending that promoting minimalist and pristine white spaces can feel disconnected from the smaller, lived-in homes the majority inhabit.

Others argue that positioning white as aspirational carries subtext related to race, landing uncomfortably amid continuing political and cultural conversations about inclusion and diversity.

Clinical or Calm?

Interior expert One design critic says the counter-reaction goes beyond aesthetics, stating that white carries deeper meanings and is seldom a neutral choice.

"White is a signal," he says, influenced by a decade of sparse star homes – most famously Kim Kardashian's austere home – that came to represent "wealth, order and distance from chaos".

He elaborates that white is "not about inspiration but taking care not to cause upset", with Cloud Dancer representing "austerity, virtuous simplicity and the notion that neutrality equals goodness".

Beaumont cites the pandemic as a turning point in how people relate to their homes.

"Almost instantly they became our workspaces, sanctuaries and sources of stability," he says, stating that in this context, pushing the Colour of the Year towards "more visual emptiness feels rather out of step".

Rather than offering calm, he believes white now risks heightening "a sense of emptiness", especially when combined with cool, clinical lighting.

'A Clinical Atmosphere

Lara Clark, a UK-based interior designer, concurs and says Cloud Dancer "doesn't really read as a colour" and is "completely rejected for me".

Although it may suit extremely sparse or architectural spaces, she says bright whites seldom foster calm in everyday living spaces.

"An image of tranquility in a styled shoot can easily seem sterile at home," she explains.

"The color white may seem harsh and unforgiving and you wouldn't wish your home to emit clinical feelings."

She adds that "homes should elicit happiness and be inviting and lived-in, and this shade seems quite distant from that."

The critic hopes that homeowners will disregard the Pantone Colour of the Year in preference for "full-scale joyful interior design", using vibrant hues to express individuality.

The vice president of the Pantone Colour Institute stated that people "bring different feelings" to the meaning of the colour, but it was selected as it "integrates perfectly with everything around it, providing a sophisticated impartiality that feels intentional and adaptable".

Since its launch in 2000, Pantone's Colour of the Year has become a significant industry signal.

Past choices have included the hopefulness of Living Coral, the calm confidence of a deep blue, the vibrancy of Viva Magenta, and most recently softer, feeling-based tones like a soft peach.

These colours don't just live on style predictions - they show up in fashion collections, beauty launches, interiors, packaging and even technology, influencing how products are sold and how consumers imagine the year ahead.

A style and trend expert, says Cloud Dancer is a "beautiful choice" and while it may seem basic, "this specific hue feels gentle and elegant rather than severe".

Contrary to those who say the colour is dull, the expert sees it as "adaptable" and says it's best used in "bedrooms and living areas where you want a peaceful, restful ambiance".

"Should you don't want to repaint, you can introduce the colour into a room with cushions, throws and curtains."

Design expert James Mellan-Matulewicz says although he was taken aback that Pantone's selection this year was "essentially the absence of colour", it is a bit like a basic flavor, in that "everyone likes it but it's not a top choice".

He can see its benefits, noting that white can work particularly well as a background for architectural details like panelling and curved entries which is a "rising style in contemporary houses".

In fashion, white has long been a basic rather than a statement and as a Colour of the Year it presents a different challenge to designers more familiar with vibrant colors.

Fashion consultant A styling expert says championing white feels "not focused on newness and more about intention", reflecting a movement towards refinement after years of fad saturation.

"White forces designers and those who wear it alike to concentrate on form, scale and craftsmanship, there's really nowhere to hide," she clarifies.

But she continues that it also carries assumptions around body confidence, lifestyle and privilege, saying: "If white is treated as something only a limited subset of people can pull off, it becomes divisive."

She says the industry is already aware of the problematic connotations tied to lauding white as an aspirational standard, particularly during continuing conversations about representation and approachability, and the true challenge will be whether "companies address that complexity authentically, or simply glamorize the colour".

A Cultural Mood, Not a Trend

Style consultant Another expert admits the choice initially surprised her, given Pantone's history of vibrant hues, but says it mirrors a authentic change and fits within a wider mood of "quiet luxury